I imagine a conversation between fans at the game TnT walked out of would've gone like this:

Fan 1: Pare oemgee! Nagwalk-out ang TnT!
Fan 2: Oo nga pre!
(Crowd hoots and gasps in collective silence as they watch the proceedings.)
Fan 1: Wow! (sits down)
Fan 2: Oo nga.
Fan 1: O pano, uwi na tayo.
Fan 2: Oo nga. Malayo pa ang (insert far away place here).

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Used to be I really liked this guy. He had an awesome blog (and I like players who blog, and promote the heck out of them), and he came over 2 years ago and when he left, spread some love about how unexpectedly great the reception was, and encouraged others to come over.

Now, I spent the last twenty minutes smiling as I made this:

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Best first.

That's Steve Nash going for a spectacular 21 point 20 assist game against the 76ers, taking what is considered to be a relatively undermanned Phoenix Suns to an impressive 7-1 record.

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Ok sorry again for the late post. I can name a few excuses but let's just cut to the chase, shall we?

As of my last posting, there have been recent developments directly as a result of the PBA's decision to declare Smart Gilas' games as no - bearing, which we'll get into later. For the moment, let's analyze the PBA Press Release I posted 5 days ago, starting with:

Jong Uichico's “It is unfortunate that the PBA teams play the National Team always looking to win.”

I am 100% convinced that what Jong Uichico wanted to say didn't come out the way he said it. In other words, I think what he really meant was: "It is unfortunate that the PBA teams play the National Team always looking to win [at any cost, including using rough play]. That's GOT to be what he really meant to say, right? I mean, the alternative, which is to read what he said face - value, means that he thinks PBA teams should play to lose when up against Smart-Gilas, which is stupid, and Jong Uichico is not stupid, right?

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Please find forthwith the latest news re Smart Gilas and the PBA from the PBA Sports Desk received this afternoon:

Philippine Basketball Association commissioner Sonny Barrios wrote the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas yesterday regarding the participation of the Smart Gilas National Team in the ongoing 2009-10 KFC-PBA Philippine Cup.

Barrios said the Board directed him to choose only between two options: 1) for Smart Gilas games to have no bearing even on PBA teams, and 2) for Smart Gilas not to play CJ Giles in any of its remaining games that will have a bearing on the PBA teams.

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Fresh from the PBA Mailing List:

The Philippine Basketball Association yesterday handed down its severest penalty to date, suspending veteran Burger King guard Wynne Arboleda without pay for the rest of the 2009-10 Season.

Arboleda, who was earlier called for his second flagrant foul in the game, went after a heckler at courtside during the Whoppers’ game against Smart-Gilas at the Araneta Coliseum last Friday, landing a kick and some punches before being restrained by cooler heads.

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I absolutely have no idea how things transpired so badly the other night, but in the interest of keeping a record, here's (belatedly) what I got. Yes, I'm referring to Wynne Arboleda's going UFC on a fan in the middle of a game between Smart Gilas and Burger King, and not the game itself. Anyway, here's the video:

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Ok let's start off with what you need to know.

First off, Rebound Magazine September / October Issue #2 should be available at National Bookstore now. This lays to rest questions re where and where to buy it when I wrote about it the first time it came out.

Second, it's the last issue of the year, with a 3rd issue, I am assured, in the works for next. As such, congratulations are in order to the publisher, editors and writers behind it because obviously we wouldn't even be talking about a 3rd issue if the 1st one wasn't a hit.

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According to a letter issued by a CHED OIC Director, former ADMU player Jobe Nkemakolam, previously the subject of yet another UAAP Men's Basketball controversy, was eligible for College and therefore cleared to play during the time he was on their roster.

To recall, a certain Atty. Levito Baligod filed a complaint with the UAAP Board, claiming that Nkemakolam was not qualified to enter College and therefore ineligible. He presented evidence ie. a CHED statement issued Sept. 3, 2009 stating that Nkemakolam “has not met the academic requirements to graduate from high school, hence, he is not qualified for admission to college.” The document was signed by a Lilian B. Enriquez, Officer-in-Charge, Director III. Reports via inboundpass and uaapsports.com.

Also contested by Baligod was Nkemakolam's graduating from Reedley International School, providing evidence stating the school has no record of his attendance for Grade 12, the equivalent of 4th Year High School.

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I'm a big Gmail / Google Reader / Gcalendar / G everything freak, so I was semi excited to find out Google's Calendar had 'Sports' categories now. Well guess what I found:

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I gotta admit I'm grasping at straws here. The UAAP Finals are still a few weeks away, and even then my team's almost nearly out the door (and deservedly so, since, well, let's admit it, they suck this year). At any rate, here's a look around what's going on, not necessarily in all of basketball, but mostly what's gotten me interested:

Rubio to stay in Spain - If you need more proof how drafts aren't all that relevant, then here it is. What was mostly considered the second coming of Pistol Pete has decided to wait out till he's 21 to play with the Minnesota Timberwolves, who owns his rights from when the NBA draft was held last June.

My opinion? Good for him. At 19 he has a world of opportunity available to him to improve even more in Europe, which is even better than a kid in the US trying to improve via competing in the College ranks. Sure the 'Wolves are gonna miss out on a crowd drawer, and they worked their ass off trying to get this deal, but you can't fault a kid for wanting to get better first and staying home. Heck, you can't even fault the kid for changing his mind because he's exactly that - a kid, and as such prone to such things.

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I'll get right to the gist of the matter.

At the risk of sounding like a broken record and mentioning what everyone knows already, Professional Sports and playing for a National Team just doesn't work. For example: As if to emphasize my point, fresh this morning as I wrote this, Yahoo reports that the Dallas Mavericks is not allowing Dirk Nowitzki to play for the Euro League. Notwithstanding both parties' cordial reaction re the matter, the fact still remains a player's two loyalties, playing for country whilst making a living playing as a pro is akin to having cake and attempting to eat it too.

You can't make a living as a pro and then drop everything to play for free for the National Team and expect everyone (ie. your bosses) to be happy about it. You just can't.

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Since I believe in starting with a bang, here's THE MOST INSANE NBA GAME WINNING ENDGAME SHOT I'VE EVER SEEN.

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Am I the only one who wasn't impressed by Dwight Howard's dunk last year because he threw in the ball rather than dunked it? I mean there was elevation and drama and everything, but when you say dunk you should mean SLAM DUNK, right? I mean SLAM, HANG ON THE RIM (for show), SLAP ON THE BOARD FOR EMPHASIS (courting a T), AND COME DOWN WITH THE BOARD AND RIM STILL SHAKING FROM YOUR PRESENCE, SLAAAAAMMM DUNNNKKKK.

Ok anyway, here's Nate Robinson's performance, albeit I have a sneaking feeling it's gonna get pulled out of Youtube anytime now, so enjoy it while it's there:

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Tonight, Talk N' Text beat Alaska at Game 7 for the KFC Philippine Cup Championship. For Talk N' Text, this marks coach Chot Reyes' 3rd Championship for 3 different clubs, the only coach to be able to do so. This marks also the coming - of - age for the lightning quick rookie Jason Castro (19 pts., 8 rebs., 8 ass.) and sweet revenge for MacMac Cardona after losing out to eventual Series MVP Willie Miller. For Alaska, it's also a coming out party for Larry Fonacier (10 pts., 2/5 3s), as well as an impressive showing for Reynel Hugnatan (17 pts., 6/11 FGs).

I've always liked Hugnatan and I like the way Fonacier shut me up today with his tough showing. But before I go on, there are two things I'd like to make clear. One, this is one of the best PBA games I've ever seen in my life.. While it's entirely possible that it's been so long since I've enjoyed a PBA game that this one gem of a game stood out, I'm coming clean regardless, and admit it out: WHAT.A.GAME. It was exciting, it was down the wire, both teams executed, Alaska almost died several times but kept coming back so well and so often that they were never really out of the picture until the dying seconds. That was a great game 7. Congratulations to both teams and the PBA.

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Last Sunday, the NFL's Super Bowl was considered a 'game for the ages' by commissioner Roger Goodell, highlighting one of the more rousing Championships of the decade.

What this means for the Sports Fan? Definitely a big Win.

In tennis news, Rafa beat Roger providing one of the most grinding and entertaining clash of contrasting styles in the world of sports. The matchup between the two is rightfully compared to that of the Andres - Sampras era, where the two protagonists' tremendous talent and skill is matched only by their respect and admiration not only for themselves but, via their exemplary play, for their sport.

What this means for the Sports Fan? A double win if at all possible.

In the PBA..

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Tonight, Macmac Cardona topscored for Talk N' Text with 34 points. A scintillating performance assuring a Finals berth for the Phonepals against Alaska, whose game against Sta. Lucia just concluded as I write this.

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You've gone and hired a baller for a President. Good job!

I mean sure, he's wearing a weird all black Nike ensemble. But he's got a step ahead of that hapless looking white dude. He can step back and take a pull up jumper or take it to the hole and red shorts can't do a thing.

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We start off the year right with some NBA dickery I just happened to watch the past few days. First off here's KG waving his arms around like crazy in the Celts - Blazers game yesterday, trying to get the referees to realize the fact that the Blazers had 6 players on the court.

To add insult to injury, they counted that basket. This therefore is the sort of thing that makes you shake your head and go 'whut!??'.

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I caught the Lakers vs. Boston game this morning, and if you wonder why you didn't know about that and still be reading this blog, shame on you. Here's the RSS feed for the 'Next 20 Basketball Events' category, the feed for the site as a whole (which includes everything, including our much sought afterPBA notes), and instructions for Google Reader to get you going. It's 2009. Wisen up already.

So anyway, this post is about insight into the just concluded game, Pao Gasol, and my argument that Pao Gasol is not 'soft', in that order. So here goes:

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Nail clippers that is.

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Obviously this is Off Topic, but hey I'm a Pinoy and so is Manny, and so that makes it VERY On Topic.

In any case, check out ESPN's Feature on Manny which is, of course, a plug on his and dela Hoya's Dec. 6 fight as well.

Some notes I made while watching:
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Ah yes, Customized Avatars. How am I supposed to get any work done boring would the Internet be without them?

So I was clicking around the nikeplus.nike.com site one time when, from out of nowhere, 1815922621 called out to me.

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Basketball has always been, for me, a source of knowledge and wisdom. Allow me to go all mushy on you for the moment, as I explain my point. Growing up in a tumultous environment there were times when I needed stability in my life, something easy that I understood and did not judge me, and believe it or not the game played an important part in finding that.

Does that sound crazy? I'm sure it does. But believe me when I say my young life was not how I wanted it to be and I didn't have much say in it. Looking back, and without getting into details (which are unnecessary anyway), I knew I was a bored, directionless, angry and confused kid. Many of my friends were into drugs readily available in our neighborhood, and suffice it to say that lifestyle was easy if I wanted it. It was certainly in abundance if I did.

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But before that, some visual aids:

No, that's not Rico Maierhofer's middle finger.

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It's hard to write about the Finals.

First of all, I know I'm always gonna be biased. Someone just asked me how I thought it would turn out made me realize that when he predicted ADMU would sweep it. I thought to myself, nah, it'd probably go up to 3 games. But then followed by another thought: "If I didn't root for DLSU, would I still feel the same?"

ADMU has everything going for it. It has a powerful lineup from position 1 to 5, and even its second unit can match up to most teams' first. But then, how can I possibly count DLSU out just like that? Last year, I gave them no chance, and they absolutely destroyed UE, a team that couldn't lose and didn't except in the Championships.

Yes, they don't have anyone to body up against Hussaini, yes I think Jvee is overworked and no I haven't found anything particularly impressive with this year's team. But still, Franz Pumaren is Franz Pumaren, the winningest coach anywhere. He knows how to motivate and mold a so-so team into a winner and if there was anyone who could pull it off, he's the man.

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I'm sure I'm being blasphemous just sayin that, but I've got a point here, trust me.

Tickets for the last elimination games as we all know now were sold at 300% to 400% higher than regular rates. In other words, P200 tickets were sold at P6,000 or (if I were to believe rumours), even P8,000 or more.

Let me just say it out right now, that I think that is absolutely horrible, and that such a thing might possibly lead to the demise of the UAAP, or even Collegiate / Amateur sports as we know it. Please let me explain, in three points:

First: Obviously, the 'profit margin' earned from the price disparity is not going to UP, this season's host, or the UAAP. It is going to scalpers. In fact 'scalpers' isn't the right term anymore, as it alludes to some type of low level operator hawking tickets by the sidewalk. No, granted the large amounts of money involved, I'd rather call them the 'mafia'. Hell just for this example, why not we call them after my fave mafioso of all, Tony Soprano.

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It was bound to happen. To all the Fantasy Leaguers out there, make sure your wives and girlfriends don't see this.

Women Against Fantasy Sports (WAFS), is a venue for Fantasy League 'widows' who have had enough of their partners spending countless hours doing something else other than what they're supposed to, which as we all know, is to slavishly pour our 100% complete love and attention to them. Ahem.

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20 Aug 2:30PM LIVE Btv Replay - Aug 21 @ 7AM

I thought about this a bit before but am only writing it now. It seems to me that it's possible Nike makes the best commercials on the planet. Case in point:

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